Could you elaborate on what happened to his stepfamily these past three years?Also, what exactly are the mysterious circumstances of his wife's death? Yes, the West Memphis Three are out of prison, but as long as they are considered guilty in the eyes of the state, the case is closed, meaning no further investigation can occur. No distinct scarred needle tracks were present. She said that Byers and Mandy had been hiding drugs in the trunk of Byers' car. No one disputes, however, that the boy with him then reached out the window with a can of Mountain Dew and poured it over the prone boys head, saying, This will wake him up., A highway department employee working nearby heard the altercation and ran over to intervene. He had, in fact, passed it, but it was after that that Misskelley gave his damning confession.z. He responded proudly, 11.. A benefit album was released in 2000, and the phrase made it into a Dawsons Creek episode when Pacey shouted Free the West Memphis Three over an airport intercom. Ryan asked if his mother was alright and Byers told him he did not know. Powell told Witt that a woman named Melissa Byers had been taken by ambulance from her residence in Cherokee Village to Eastern Ozarks Regional Hospital. The answer seems obvious. There he met with local law enforcement officers and with John Mark Byers, Melissas husband. In fact, people in the audience criticized him for the beating, which is what prompted his outburst about the mutilations. He also became upset when I advised him that I was going to keep the Power Zapper, which he wanted back. In fact, for the better part of 1993, it was nearly impossible to find anyone who believed they were innocent. On the street, it sells as much as $50 per tablet. He arrived at the home around 1pm and "partied with them, drinking Crown Royal, and taking valium, xanex, and that he saw Mark Byers with a sandwich baggie of K-4 dilaudid." Bakken immediately showed her friends Burk Sauls and Grove Pashley, who were both equally gripped by what they had just watched. Much of Cecil Hotel focuses on the amateur investigators who turned coincidences into conspiracy theories, ultimately accusing an innocent person of her death. Only her urine was abnormal. She threw up some liquid. (Byers) Hale had been residing in Mesquite, Dallas County, Texas 75149. Melissa Byers was only 40 years old. I so BADLY wanted to ask him, "How does it feel to have your last interaction with your child be a beating?". "KeelX+RB]eYX]Q.VU#^jUoOXrXExLUmxw/f4Tk}[Y{|/X%w@M+N(l Bakken and Sauls say they tried to avoid offering theories about the case publicly, opting instead to try to work through official channels. At this point, Ryan said he couldn't "take it anymore" and so he and Amanda left, drove around, got gas, and bought a soda. That November, he says, HBO agreed to give an honorariumroughly $5,000to the families on both sides. Nor were any opiates were found in her blood. Not just because John Mark Byers is so creepy (though he IS), but becausethe Byers boy was the only one who was sexually mutilated, AND Mr. Byerswas the one who reported the boys missing. John Mark called to Ryan twice. Quickly, however, he realized Berlinger and Sinofsky were taking a different approach. He advised her mouth was wide open, her eyes were closed, she was totally limp, and her arms were down by her side. Byers stated that Melissa preferred to take Dilaudid. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Misskelly and Baldwin were sentenced to life in prison, and Echols, who was identified as the ringleader, was sentenced to death by lethal injection. He's in disguise!" how did melissa byers die 'We are still working hard to bring you fresh content and good vibes, even in these trying times!' . Sauls says that the former Black Flag frontman was one of the few big names who dug deep into the evidence, wanting to learn as many details as he could about the case. In June 1996, Paradise Lost debuted on HBO, bringing the story of the West Memphis Three to TV sets and showing the power of the camera in the courtroom. By the time the Byerses had been in Cherokee Village six months, police had been summoned to their residence at least eight times. Now, he was being asked to consider something that he never dreamed he would: accepting a plea deal that would set the West Memphis Three free, but require them to give up their quest for exoneration. A tattoo of a heart and scroll were present on her right upper back, with the name Christopher written in the scroll. At that point, the boys watching the fight moved in and tried to stop it. Mojo jumped up, Baldwin recalls. Rose said, Byers told me he told the juvenile, Don t open the knife. He also told me he has taught the boy how to use the knife.. Christopher, known to family and friends as "Chris" was one of three murder victims in the "Robin Hood Hills Child Murders" case. Paradise Lost is a narration-free documentary filmed with a journalistic remove. The trio assumed that the convictions had already been overturned by the time Bakken received the screenerthis was a modern-day witch hunt, they thought, and surely the state of Arkansas had already corrected the course. Benjamin H. Byers was convicted of first-degree murder, armed criminal action and child endangerment in connection to the killing following a trial in March. Recent injuries included: "three 1-inch blue-gray contusions on her right upper arm; six blue-gray contusions, ranging from 1/2 to 2 inches, were present on the anterior aspect of the left upper arm; four, 1/4 to 1 inch blue-gray contusions were present on the superior and anterior left upper shoulder. Our monthly magazine is free at over 500 locations in Central Arkansas. Mojo, however, was considerably more fired up, believing the same thing many of Paradise Losts viewers did: that the movie showed an incredible miscarriage of justice, one that would surely be fixed. (At one point, Sauls says, it landed on Yahoos list of the top 100 websites.) That knife had not been used at all.. Mojo was right. By subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers and expand our coverage. She died at . [SNIP]. She died of undetermined causes on March 29, 1996. Like Misskelley in the first trial, Baldwin received a life sentence. At the time of her youngest son's murder in May of 1993, Melissa was married to John Mark Byers . James stated that Byers had intentionally killed his wife. The results suggest that Melissa had not been using hydrocodone for an extended length of time; otherwise, the drug would have been in her blood and her liver. He told him the name of the drug. She died of undetermined causes on March 29, 1996. The trials were sensational from start to finish, partly for the gruesomeness of the crimes, and partly because the police case was predicated on the belief that the killings had been part of a Satanistic orgy. Waser noted that there was a glass containing white liquid on the nightstand located to the right of the bed. Baldwin remembers grabbing a Mountain Dew and a burrito and sitting down, still unaware of what he was about to watch. It s not between you, its between them. And, Rose added, he does admit to saying that, too., The boys did back off, in part because Byers was holding what appeared to be a gun. The murders shocked West Memphis, but weeks passed without an assailant or assailants being found. This article was updated after publication to add more context about the honorariums paid to the families of the victims and the West Memphis Three and also to correct the time frame in which Berlinger and Sinofsky informed HBO about the changing scope of the documentary. Originally from Willard, Mo., she spent nearly three years reporting in Arkansas and Illinois before returning to Missouri and joining The Star in 2017. WWE legend Melissa Coates has died at the age of 50 after undergoing a leg amputation last year to stop her arteries being blocked by blood clots, leaving her former colleagues from around the wrestling world to voice their shock. The hospital staff came to his aid and I excused myself to the visitor's room. They asked, instead, if he had ever used the knife. Stidham, who was just 30 years old and not long out of law school when the court appointed him to be Misskelleys attorney, went in thinking he would negotiate a deal for his client, who had told police that his acquaintances Baldwin and Echols committed the crimes and that he was present and played a role as an accessory. "Hydrocodone is a potent narcotic which is a dangerous drug even at therapeutic levels but repeated toxicological studies of blood and liver were negative. Mandy also stated that Ryan had assisted in the burglary of the Atwood home. Melissa DeFir Byers was born on January 15, 1956. A woman was also located. The state police investigation had just ended, their information had been turned over to West Memphis police, and they were expecting Byers to be arrested when the boys triple murder occurred. Now, not quite three years after the murder of 8-year-old Christopher Byersand with some criminal charges against her and her husband still pendingMelissa Byers was dead. Kansas City man found guilty of murder in wifes 2017 stabbing death at their home, Daughter finds mothers body in the basement; her father is charged with murder, Man found dead inside house where Kansas City police officers were shot late Tuesday, Three Kansas City police officers shot and injured while executing search warrant, Bald eagles egg breaks in nest, Minnesota photo shows. how did melissa byers diesigns he still loves his baby mama | The consequences of that online campaign were ruinous: The person they targeted, a Mexican metal musician who worked under the name Morbid, was harassed into hiding. He said that when he returned Ryan and John Mark were attempting to put pants on Melissa. The news came just one day after Jerry Lee Lewis fell victim to similar rumors. Baldwin remembers the dire circumstances laid out during the call. None of the three believed that, but Echolss healthand the possibility that even if he survived, he would still be on death row should the fight for retrials failmade it an imperative. Her body showed no visible signs of trauma. It is documented that the morning after his arrest, Shelby County authorities placed Byers in federal custody, in the hands of U.S. marshals. Melissa Gilbert recently became the latest celebrity to fall prey to an online death hoax. I am attempting to take cuttings from this plant so I can, Fighting Fungal Diseases on Plants - Exploring the Use of Copper, Daconil & Copper Fungicides, The use of copper to fight plant diseases is an intriguing concept that has been around for some time. [28] The coroner noted that rigor was not present, but checked "yes" on lividity. [14] In the statement given by Metz, he said that John Mark told him he thought Melissa had overdosed on a drug. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, it's clear that our readers value our great journalism. Theres no smoking gun. They found marijuana in a closet of the master bedroom and on a night stand in the other bedroom. An additional part of the agreement was that Byers would leave the Third Judicial District, which is made up of Sharp, Lawrence, Randolph, and Jackson counties and not come back to them, or to Fulton County either. (Maines briefly became a part of the story when Terry Hobbs, stepfather of another of the victims, sued her for defamation after she wrote a blog post pointing out that physical evidence at the crime scene potentially pointed at him and not the three convicted for the crime. [22]In a subsequent interview, James stated that he had gotten close to Ryan, John Mark's step-son, while at Highland High School. Help us deliver the latest daily reporting and analysis on news, politics, culture and food in Arkansas. Additionally, the judge in the original trialswho under Arkansas law presided under the requests for retrials in the years following the convictionshad been elected to the state Senate that December, meaning someone new and possibly more sympathetic would oversee the case. When they searched online, they found little to no information about the case. After allegedly beating his wife and shooting his brother-in-law, Terry Hobbs, the stepfather of Steve Branch, was released from jail in Memphis on $20,000 bond. He was charged with a felony cocaine count and carrying a weapon. Dan Stidham, the original attorney for Misskelley, who would also work on Baldwins and Echols appeals, says he has the answer. Melissa Byers did not have a prescription for Dilaudid. He did not know if John Mark had anything to do with Melissa's death and said that "everyone seemed to be happy and jolly during the partying time. The great irony of the 18-year quest to free the West Memphis Three is that it didnt begin as a crusade. Visit Us 4201 Wilson Blvd, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22203 glentunnel to christchurch FREE QUOTE. In May of that year, police discovered the bodies of Michael Moore, Stevie Branch, and Christopher Byers in the Robin Hood Hills, a small wooded area near the I-40/I-55 exchange. But Echolss situation changed Baldwins thinking. (Despite Misskelleys statement, the coroners examination found no injuries on the victims consistent with sexual assault.) Daniel Stidham of Paragould is the lawyer for Jessie Misskelley, who was accused, along with Echols and Jason Baldwin, of killing the three West Memphis children. Growing up and over a 6 foot trellis and trailing back down to the ground, this plant looks incredibly healthy with no leaf loss anywhere. Stranger Things Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. Melissa Byers was born on 16 January, 1956 in 1956, is an Actor. Melissa gurgled up some fluid and Metz called for an ambulance. Hes subdued when discussing the facts of the case, but he comes alive while recounting his work with the Jaycees while in prison, or buying Metallicas Black Album when it came out in 1991. (Echolswho is in better health today, though his eyesight has degenerated and he has premature arthritis from his time in solitary confinementin particular has maintained a relatively public life, through the five books hes published, performing magic for Patreon subscribers, and making TV appearances to discuss other cases he sees as similar to his.) One of the boys in the altercation carried a pocket knife belonging to Byers. [9], Waser's report indicated that two EMTs were performing CPR on Melissa when he arrived. "He ask [sic] John Mark if Melissa was dead. That included Mojo, who came calling around 2 a.m. that day trying to coax him out of his cell. Ryan said Byers then began CPR on Melissa. weaving supposedly anti-Christian and occult messages into their songs, he discovered her while Googling cold cases, funded an extensive private investigation, a November 2010 Arkansas Supreme Court ruling, biggest allies in the years before his 2020 death, acquitted of capital murder in 2018 after a 25-year legal saga. This year, many gardeners are looking for new varieties of tomatoes to try out in their gardens. The right thoracic puncture mark and the right wrist puncture mark were both covered by Band-Aids. As the first in a trilogy of Paradise Lost films about the case, the 1996 movie was a stunning example of cinma vrit, as directors Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky embedded themselves with the prosecution, the defense, and the families of both the slain and the accused to put human faces on a heart-wrenching tragedy, as well as highlight the overblown worries of satanic rituals and murderous cults that proliferated throughout the 1980s and 90s. The governor of the state of Arkansas who will one day pardon the West Memphis Three is probably in junior high right now, he says. By going into the courtroom and sticking with the case for its entire duration, Berlinger and Sinofsky were able to capture what may have otherwise been lost to time or left out of transcripts. In September, Melissa Byers was charged with disorderly conduct after a neighbor reported that Melissa had threatened to kill her family. Finally, a month after the murders, three West Memphis teen-agersJessie Lloyd Misskelley, 17; Charles Jason Baldwin, 16; and Damien Wayne Echols, 18were arrested and charged with the crimes. A former neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said she reported Byers about that time to child abuse authorities, because he was whipping Christopher [who was two at the time] so badly I was afraid for his life. The woman said she reported the incidents again during the investigations into the murders, but was never asked to testify. They began attending appeal hearings and visiting Baldwin, Echols, and Misskelley in prison. Gilbert's fans were. The news was devastating beyond just word of his friends suffering. He told Waser that the neighbor, Norm Metz, came into the bedroom to help his step-father. Byers also said that Ryan had spent the night at John Mark's brother-in-law's house. > > NightShade HDZ@prodigy.com>. The idea of the average citizen becoming embroiled in a criminal investigation isnt far-fetched in 2021, decades removed from the launch of WM3.org. So with less urgency surrounding full exoneration and no documentary cameras rolling, the question 25 years later becomes: Who is paying close enough attention to the case to pick up the fight? Supporting the Arkansas Times' independent journalism is more vital than ever. She was not injured and taken into custody, police say. Melissa's Death Melissa and John Mark Byers were having problems in their . That story line would make up the bulk of 2000s Paradise Lost 2: Revelations, a rare sequel for a documentary, especially before the streaming era proved that true crime series like Making a Murderer and The Staircase could maintain audience interest for years. Before she went to the hospital. Estate Planning Paralegal. [19], The following day, Waser visited Byers' home and was informed of Melissa's recurring drug habit. 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